Archive Part 1

Part 1: The Formation of ‘The Sutton Coldfield Railway Society’

Introduction: SCRS was formally constituted in 1968, though there had been a
series of informal meetings before that. In 1968 a rule book was drawn up and a
Committee was elected.
A Society newsletter/magazine was produced in Summer 1969, and at quarterly
intervals thereafter. This magazine was called ‘The Bulletin’* and the first
editor was Derek Haywood. The bulletins were very ambitious in so far as they
not only contained items referring to day to day society business, but also
articles by members on general railway topics, particularly railway modelling.
Each bulletin had between 10 and 20 pages. Perhaps unsurprisingly, only eleven
editions of these bulletins were produced, before giving way to a considerably
slimmed down version known as ‘The Newsletter’. Nevertheless a complete set
of Bulletins has survived and they provide a fascinating insight into the early
life of the Society.
The first SCRS Secretary was Geoff Cowmeadow. Geoff was a man of
boundless energy and it is probably fair to say, that he was the driving force in
those early years. A teacher by profession, Geoff never did things by halves.
Besides becoming nationally known in the model railway world, he was also a
very accomplished organist, a teacher of ballroom dancing, and a very keen cine
enthusiast. With great foresight, Geoff wrote a series of articles for bulletins 2
to 4 about the formation of the Society.
Printing the final bulletin was considerably harder than for a modern newsletter.
The bulletins were produced by ‘cutting a stencil’ (which means typing a
master) and then then running off copies manually on a stencil duplicator. The
quality of the print was not great judged by modern word processing standards,
and of course typing corrections were difficult.
The pages that follow were produced from extracts from the first four bulletins.
The first item, which is the editorial that Derek wrote for Bulletin 1, addresses
an issue that still arises from time to time now. We then have Geoff’s complete
article on the formation of the Society. This was produced by cutting and
sticking scans of the originals, which were then restored and clarified using a
text reader.
*Hopefully a complete set of scans of the bulletins will be available on disc in
the library for members to peruse.

Editorial
A Model Society?

There has been a considerable amount of comment from Members in recent
weeks that the Sutton Coldfield Railway Society was not formed with the
express intention of becoming a modellers’ club and, indeed, the word is not
incorporated in the title.
The reason that the majority of founder members are interested in modelling
stems from the original Sutton News article inviting interested modellers to
contact Geoff Cowmeadow with a view to forming a Club. The intention was to
ask all railway maniacs to attend but somehow the ‘News’ got the wrong end of
the stick! Eventually the Society was formed, its main object being to promote
interest in all railway aspects and with the inception of weekly meetings it is
hoped to include subjects of general interest.
The Committee would welcome suggestions for the future programme so, if you
feel strongly, then put pen to paper and let us have your ideas. Whilst on the
subject, however, it must be remembered that the model of Sutton Station, with
which we are heavily committed, will prove to be the breadwinner for future
events and it is hoped that if you are not a modeller then you will be encouraged
to ‘have a go’ in time for our exhibition planned for next year.
The idea of this bulletin, which it is hoped to produce quarterly, is to provide a
vehicle for liaison between the ‘Euston Confederacy’ or the ‘Paddington
Hierarchy’, namely the Committee and the Members. We hope to keep you up
to date with the Society’s activities and a regular article will appear on the latest
stages of the Club Layout.
An invitation to members to provide articles, letters or modelling hints then
followed.

Derek Haywood

A HISTORY OF SUTTON COLDFIELD RAILWAY SOCIETY

BY GEOFF COWMEADOW

CHAPTER 1 A PUFF IN THE BRIGHT BLUE SKY

(Appeared in Bulletin 2 – Autumn 1969)

So often folk say that they wish someone had written down. the story of how a club
or society had started, right from the very-beginning, instead of leaving It until a
band of folk have made a success of it, and all the founders are so. old and senile that
nobody remembers who put the first load of coal on to start the boiler. So, in absolute
and utter wisdom…I've decided to tell the tale... as usual.

Often, I wonder why we humans like to gather together under one roof to follow our
particular Interests. I suppose one could say it is a sort of communal worship. I have
never stopped to think, until now, just how many clubs and societies, of differing
forms and. aims, there are. The number would be staggering if we only knew.

The thought presented itself, that it would not be too big a job to jot down, every
so often, the happenings of this 'very new Society.

Since the Model Railway Club to which I belonged, and served as Secretary for
some three years, moved to headquarters on the other side of Birmingham, some of
the Sutton Coldfield fellows resigned, and It was suggested that a new Society be
formed in the Sutton area. Over a time to consider the matter it was decided, that to
form such a group would, at that particular moment, rather look like a bit of
poaching, and the idea, was dropped for nearly two and a half years, when the matter
was brought up again.

The group met at monthly intervals in one another’s homes, but like Alice in
Wonderland, ‘It growed’, until we were up to a total of something like a dozen, and
houses are only just so big…we began to feel cramped. And so Iit happened, I
suppose it had to.

For some months we were all aware that one of two things must eventually
happen. Either, we would have to limit the number of folk coming to the house
meetings, which would preclude a good many splendid chaps coming to know us
and be known by us...or we just had to form a brand new Society. We talked
around the point for the whole of one session and finally had a cup of tea, a biscuit,
another cup and so on...until...through the fag fog a voice was heard to say ‘Right,
that's it... let's get a letter off to the local Rowser and get their help, and see what
happens’. All those said ‘Aye. And so it came to pass.that a letter was sent to the
Editor of the Sutton News to ask for his services in the spreading of the Gospel and
the actions of the apostles...Duff, Richmond, Turvey, Cowmeadow, Dick Pearce
and Uncle Don -Jones and all.

As a result of that letter I received twenty in return, one of which was from the Area
Youth Officer, Mr Ken Gray, who offered us help from the accommodation angle in
the form of Mere Green Youth Centre at Four Oaks. The offer was accepted and
suitable letters of thanks and appreciation were sent to Mr. Gray, The'Director of
Education, Sutton Coldfield, and the Chairman of the Youth Committee through
Mr, Gray. I circulated invitations to an inaugural meeting to all those who had so
kindly written in answer to the press announcement and as a result, ‘The Official
Opening’ was arranged in great style at the new Headquarters for Friday 19th April
1968.

Mr. G. Cattell, one of the leading railway authorities in the district, at least, and I
would say in the Midlands, kindly agreed to be our special guest and perform the
opening ceremony. Our Ladies, bless them, did us proud by putting on the most
excellent spread of refreshments for the pleasure of our forty-odd guests. Mr.
Cattell spoke of the years at the beginning of the century when he remembered the
railways of the Midlands, when they were railways, dare we say, and after a few
amusing anecdotes on railway matters, he wished the new Society a happy and
successful life, blew the proverbial whistle, and 'slap me'- were off.

The evening continued with a selection of films made and presented by
Michael Richmond and myself,

CHAPTER 2 THE ENGINE BACKS ON

(Appeared in Bulletin 3 – Winter 1969)

The- Committee was formed thus, Alec Duff was Chairman; Leslie Wood –
Treasurer; Mike Richmond and John Hartley - Committee Members with Mike
becoming Membership Secretary shortly afterwards and I was the Hon Secretary.

The next Society Meeting saw us, under-the eye of the Chairman, discussing plans
for the future. It was decided to start the building of a working model layout in the
hope that in about eighteen months we would be ready for the first Exhibition. An
Exhibition is, to any Clubman, the financial lifeblood of his Club...the
subscriptions more often than not, being too small for the rent of the rooms.

The Members were asked to make their suggestions for the shape of the layout by
drawing out, however sketchily, their ideas, and, at a later meeting, to be willing to
pool them, and, from these, agree on the final look of the thing.

Our first l6mm film evening was put on early in May. The programme was from
the British Rail Film Library and was as follows: ‘Link Span’, ‘The Elizabethan
Express’, ‘London to Brighton in Three Minutes’, ‘Ocean Terminal’, and Mr. Ken
Gray kindly loaned us the projector.

Already we were being approached by outside organisations to put on show some
of our wares. On Saturday May 25th we set up shop in the corridor of the Town
Hall, Sutton, with an exhibition of static models and parts of full layouts in order to
help the Parish Church raise funds for the restoration of the Church roof. All the
models were of great interest, and (were) well made and painted but the ‘prize’ must
surely go to the collection of plastic models so wizardly constructed by John.
Hartley. There were some thirty pieces. We heard later that the Church raised no less
a sum than £1,200 in the course of the day, and we did our bit to help. A good start, I
think.

It was decided to go ahead with the ordering of timber for the construction of our
own layout. Dick Pearce was elected to be warden to guide the actual building of it.
He offered to get the materials and to have them delivered to the Headquarters.

Our first Speaker was in the person of Mr. Peter Chatham, on the fifth June, and the
chair was taken by Mike Richmond. I gather there were about eleven Members
present to hear about the photographic process developed by Peter for the building
of rolling stock.

During the same evening a number of us were involved in getting ready for our
second ‘public airing’. This time to put on a small show at Riland Bedford School
in Sutton, to aid them with their Summer Fair. The Headmaster, Mr. T. Freeman,
gave us the Gymnasium to get busy with. There were three working layouts: Dick
Pearce with the small but effective scene at Dolgoch on the Talyllyn Railway;
Mike Bartleet, with his narrow gauge, running, like a dream, and I had the jolly old
Glenfern Railway on the go with my Son Richard's T,T. doing it's stuff. There
were the usual excellent static models for all to see in addition. I think, from what I
heard that all those who took part were well pleased with the day's work, and in a letter
from the Headmaster, I know he was. All this ‘being seen by the public’ is a good
thing, particularly when one is a small and new Society.

It would be interesting to know how many actual miles these little models of ours
run in the course of an Exhibition. I gather Dick Pearce did calculate the running
miles on his Dolgoch to be no less than three and a half, in something like 7 hours
running time.

At any Exhibition, large or small, there are always those who for one reason or
another prefer to be in the background, and to them, so very, many thanks for all the
help you gave.

Our friend, Edward Dorricott, from the Town County Primary School, helped us
again with his superb collection of full size relics. I never really like that word relic,
as it seems to give the idea that, pieces are tatty, in bad condition, or something
equally terrible, but certainly not so with this little lot. Other exhibitors were Leslie
Wood, Rex Canning, Mike Richmond, Don Jones, Derek Haywood and I'm sure
some others, too. All this little lot was under the ‘beady eye’’ of Ken Gosling who
attended to the setting up of the site.

CHAPTER 3 WE’RE OFF

(Appeared in Bulletin 4 – Spring 1970)

Things have now settled down very nicely, thanks to all the efforts of the members.
You know it is uncanny at times, for one has only to mention that something or other
is ‘on the books’ and before you can turn round to see if anybody has pinched your
luggage, someone has offered his services to take on the overseeing of the job. For
example, at the meeting, early in May when it was decided to get started on the
layout, one, Dick Pearce, said he could help with the construction of the base boards.
(This is) the. most vital part of any layout. All (of us) welcomed, this offer. We felt
that one person only should be ‘in charge’ of one section. We further thought that
Dick meant generally to be the ‘Gaffer’ of the job, but, not so, not on your Nellie!
Imagine the surprise when, one evening a WEEK later, as the members staggered into
the Club Room, there, on the floor, was the whole of the base board set completed,
finished, and laid out. Eventually someone spoke and broke the silence by saying
‘Sorry, chaps, it's not painted yet.’ This is typical of Dick, though "do and say nowt",
well done. What excellent workmanship had gone into the job. It was dead flat, and
that is what matters. They say, get the top right and you can do what you like with
the thing then ... it's true, too. All was now ready for the road bed. It was decided
to use G.E.M. track and standard points, with certain pointwork hand made by
Mike Richmond - Mike offering to do the work anyway.

It was realised that a fairly large amount of money would be required to
purchase the track. The exact amount would not be known for some time, but it
was thought about £30 would not be far out. However, during the course of a
meeting in the middle of July, we were discussing how to raise enough money
to allow us to start. Various suggestions were made, one being that a. member
wished to give to a fund 10 years subscriptions as a start. That is the sort of
spirit we have among us. The Chairman asked members to think over the many
ideas put forward and another meeting would be called the next week. Came the
next week and it was agreed to go ahead with a public jumble sale ... so off we
went again. Mike Bartleet and I scratched around with the help of Leslie Wood,
and eventually booked the Methodist Hall at Four Oaks, for Saturday, October
5th, 1968.

The bulk of the setting up at the Hall was done by Ken Gosling and Mike
Bartleet, while. the Chairman and I were at a meeting in Birmingham for the
formation of of a federation of railway societies, but more of that later.

My wife and children and I arrived on the Saturday morning at the Hall, a little
after 10 o’clock, to find the greatest heap of goods seen at a sale for some time.

It was staggering, and somewhere behind the piles, well sorted and laid out,
were the ever smiling faces of David Masser, Ken Gosling and Mike Bartleet.

More stuff arrived during the course of the morning, and was duly placed in its
proper place, ready for sale. We all had a picnic in the Hall. It was thought that
we might well be short of helpers, so my wife went off to telephone some of her
friends to come and help in the afternoon.

There was quite a queue forming outside the doors, which was good for trade
this was about 12.45 p.m., all ready for 2.0 pm opening. It turned out that we
had only five members from the Society there to help and, some ten minutes
before the kick-off there appeared five more ladies and their children, and Derek
Haywood, and all got safely behind the fortress of the tables before the rush.

When the doors were opened, I wondered what had hit the place. This lasted about an hour,
and eased off about 3-15 p.m. and then it was all over bar the shouting. In came the
Dealer (l am convinced I'm in the wrong job), gave us 25 bob after a bit of an argument,
saying 'it didn't pay him to come and take it.' I nearly laughed. He took it, and when the
Sale Treasurers had totted all the lolly up we had made a nice profit of some £32 odd -
the room having been paid for, and all the ladies had a little box of chocolates for their
grand help.

This meant that we were able to purchase most of the track, a few points, and a fair
amount of underlay. In a word, we were "off the ground". We'll done, everybody!